New PC or Xbox 360?

[StuTika]

Hi guys!

Seeing as the people on here by and large seem to be a clever bunch who know quite a bit () about games, I thought I'd put this to you lot.

As Christmas is coming up and I think I've been a good boy most of the time (), I'd like to get some sort of gaming machine.

Now, my current PC is a shared family one, and it's graphics card is seriously lacking and as it's a Dell I'm not hugely keen on prying it open. So a new PC would be in order.

The other option is an Xbox 360. BTW, I've already ruled out the PS3 as not being for me.

The 360 is attractive because it would be cheaper than a high end PC and requires no fiddling, it just works (most of the time). I'd probably get the new Modern Warfare 2 special editon. The social aspect of the 360 really appeals to me as a lot of my school mates have 360s and it'd be fun to play some Left 4 Dead or CoD with them on Live - Xbox has awesome online.

Buuuut, I like PCs as they can be upgraded and the 360 is getting on a bit so it's only a matter of time before another new console comes out. Also, with PC games you often get better support, usually more online players (in each match and overall) and the wonder that is modding (hell, this site wouldn't exist without the moddability of PC games). Also, Crysis only comes on PC . However, I would need a brand new PC as there is no way Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising, Crysis and Modern Warfare 2 will run on a Radeon 2600XT! And not many friends have decent PCs, guess I'd have to find some good clans! .

Sorry for the wall of text, your ideas and opinions are appreciated as I'm torn!

Stu.

[Priby]

If you get a new PC you should wait until 22. October. Thats the release date of Windows 7 and with it comes the new directx 11 interface. Also be sure to get a directx 11 compatible graphic card:P
Thats what im going to do.

[John-117]

ok go for pc cos it is much better and wont fail like every month

[driver-ch-driver]

Well personally I have both, and they work well together, but the computer came first for me, as my old one was pure crap and I couldent play BF2 at all on it. So if I was in your position I would get a decent computer, but its really up to you, just go with what feels right.

[HeXeY]

It depends, if I didn't allready have an Xbox 360, I'd still go for the PC as I rarely use my Xbox because I've got so few games, and almost none of my friends have got it.
A computer can do so much more but it get's outdated in 3 years or so, whilst a console generally lasts for 5, if not more, years before a new one comes around. Also Xbox Live Gold costs around £50 a year I believe.

Considering a lot of your real life friends have got a Xbox that would probably be the thing for you, but as you say you could join a clan or find a decent community which plays the same games as you do.

Good luck with your choice, there's not really much we can do other can give you +'s and -'s about each thing and let you decide for yourself

PC:
+ more to do
+ more games
+ mods
+ better to play FPS on (my opinion)
+ online gaming is free
- outdates faster
- more expensive
- viruses :S

Xbox 360:
+ more of your friends have got one
+ no viruses
+ easy to find demos
- Live Gold membership costs extra
- not a lot of buttons so game experiences might differ from PCs

[StuTika]

Thanks guys, the release of Win7 is a good point, will it be better than XP?

Pros and cons other than the ones I said are nice cuz it might help swing me one way or the other...there's just something 'cool' about console gaming that you don't get with a PC...argh IDK what a choice!

The friends thing is important, I think atm I'm just swinging toward the 360, it's damn close though...

EDIT: Oh yeah, although consoles generally last for 5 years, the 360 was released in 2005, so we've only got a year (or two) left of it, whereas I'd be getting a new PC which should last for 3 min. Heeelp!

Stu.

[John-117]

look if you get a good good computer it doesnt matter. plus windows 7 is really good better that xp imo

[Priby]

Ive only heard good about Windows 7 as well and the new Xbox should be coming in fall 2010.

[akatabrask]

Well, judging from the economic point of wiev an xbox wouldn't be so much better since games have a tendency to become waaay more expensive on console than on pc, especially when the prices start to drop.

Also, if you can feel satisfied with not having top notch pc hardware you could buy budget components and last years generation and get a way higher performance/buck and still rather cheap system.

As said the only reasons I can find to get an xbox would be the social aspect, both through live but also being able to play multiplayer on one unit.

[Lan]

I'm always going to recommend the pc having had crappy experiences with the 360. They just fail every year guaranteed atleast once im not really sure if they do anymore because i havent been following them since my last one eneded up in the bin. Plus you can do all sorts of different things on a pc whereas a console can only do certain things albeit very well.